Great Books of Greater Cleveland began in a meeting room at the East Cleveland Library in 1946. The make-up of the group initially comprised married couples. The eventual archivist, Ruth H., was engaged but not married at the time she asked to join the group. After some hesitation and much discussion by members of the group, Ruth and her fiancé were allowed to join, much to the benefit of the group in subsequent years.

Note: Not surprisingly this “marriage” requirement was dropped in only a few years. The present group of regular participants comprises diverse members in age, race, gender, etc., and we welcome all readers to particapte.

After 25 years in East Cleveland, group leaders decided to move to the Noble Neighborhood Library in Cleveland Heights. Noble Library on Noble Road was a location more centrally located for the membership in 1971.

For the next 50 years, the Great Books Group called Noble Library its home. Several renovations over the years, however, gradually reduced the meeting room space in order to accommodate more library patrons. The decision to leave our home after 50 years was an excruciating one.

The Cuyahoga County Public Library’s South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch proved to be the perfect choice for our new home. Its location is still in the Cleveland Heights / South Euclid vicinity, so regular members are not inconvenienced. The library is newly built; it is spacious, bright and welcoming. Great Books meets in a room located in the Writing Center.

To adapt to the changing pandemic situation in GB Year 76 (2021-22), meetings include both the participants who are physically present and those who are virtually participating. Whether this dynamic succeeds remains to be seen. The charter members could not have imagined such a discussion!